NT Attorney General Faces Scrutiny Over Family Connection to Hit-adn-Run Case
Darwin – Northern Territory Attorney General Chansey Paech is under fire after confirming a family link to the driver involved in a hit-and-run incident that left an Aboriginal pedestrian seriously injured.The revelation has intensified scrutiny of the Northern territory justice system, already facing criticism for disparities in outcomes for Indigenous Australians.
The controversy stems from a case where a driver received a suspended sentance for hitting an Aboriginal man,sparking outrage and prompting an appeal from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Confirmation that the driver is related to Paech has fueled accusations of potential conflicts of interest and raised further questions about fairness within the NT legal system. This incident occurs against a backdrop of disproportionately high rates of pedestrian fatalities among Aboriginal peopel in the Northern Territory – 15 times higher than the national average.
“The fault lines in our community and our justice system run deep,” saeid Antoinette Roe, a spokesperson addressing the concerns. Roe highlighted the “racist,dehumanising language used by the offender” as a reminder of the racism experienced by many Aboriginal people daily. She further stated the case “highlights the inequality between the experiences of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Territorians in the NT justice system, and the immense advantages experienced by many non-Aboriginal people in the NT legal system,” adding that “Aboriginal people and families increasingly feel as though the justice system does not equally protect them.”
The DPP has announced its intention to appeal the original sentence, deeming it “manifestly inadequate.” The case echoes past instances of lenient sentencing for non-Indigenous drivers involved in the deaths of Aboriginal pedestrians, such as the 2015 case of eight-year-old Jack Sultan-Page, who was killed in a hit-and-run in Palmerston, with the driver receiving no jail time.
Paech has not publicly commented on the specific case but has acknowledged the family connection. The incident is likely to reignite debate surrounding systemic issues within the NT justice system and calls for greater accountability and equitable treatment for Aboriginal Territorians.
